Simulation of Donington Park's track in 2010 - will it ever become reality?

Donington Park has had plenty of problems in recent weeks with several races being cancelled. This was because of building work in preparation for the 2010 British Grand Prix encroaching on the circuit?óÔé¼Ôäós run-off area.

Now circuit owner Tom Walkinshaw is suing the track operators for ?é?ú2.47m in unpaid rent. And the company?óÔé¼Ôäós plans for a debenture scheme to finance the race have still not been announced.

You may have noticed I?óÔé¼Ôäóve not said an awful lot until the press until now. That?óÔé¼Ôäós because we?óÔé¼Ôäóve been thinking about delivery. I?óÔé¼Ôäóm talking now because I?óÔé¼Ôäóve delivered something. I?óÔé¼Ôäóll go back into my little box now and you?óÔé¼Ôäóll hear from me at the end of March when I say ?óÔé¼?£here?óÔé¼Ôäós the debenture scheme, here?óÔé¼Ôäós what it?óÔé¼Ôäós going to cost, here?óÔé¼Ôäós what you get?óÔé¼Ôäó and then I?óÔé¼Ôäóll get back on with delivering again.

We are now in late April and still nothing has been announced. Rumours persist that one of the banks behind the scheme have withdrawn their support which, given the state of the economy, would hardly be a surprise.

No help from Ecclestone ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ or the government

Bernie Ecclestone has said the event will get no leeway and will not allow the race to remain at Silverstone. Given the recent axing of the French and Canadian Grands Prix it wouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót be surprising in the slightest if he let another of F1?óÔé¼Ôäós great, historic events die.

He is adamant the race should receive government money, as happens with almost every other race. Perhaps his latest words on the subject were timed to coincide with Lord Astor of Hever asking the House of Lords earlier today whether the government will invest in Britain’s round of the world championship.

But it is unwilling to put money into F1. Perhaps it is still scarred by its early association with Ecclestone, when the Labour government?óÔé¼Ôäós post-election honeymoon in 1997 was tainted by the accusation that it accepted ?é?ú1m from him to drop its opposition to tobacco advertising.

Alternatively, maybe it does what the rest of us do: which is look at the enormous sums demanded by Ecclestone, and how little the circuits get in return, and conclude it?óÔé¼Ôäós a poor deal.

I’m conflicted about whether the government should step in to support the British Grand Prix. On a purely principled level I’m against it – there are far more important things for the government to spend its money on.

But in the context of the gigantic sums spent on other sports for doubtful gain, a few hundred million towards a proper Grand Prix venue and a race contract, given the importance of the UK motor racing industry, seems a rather more sensible investment than a ?é?ú750 pitch you (apparently) can’t play football on.

43 comments on More bad news from Donington

Now this is just idle speculation (ok, so it’s mischiefmaking) but… if only we had a UK government with the cojones to threaten a total export ban on F1 technology if we lost our home GP. Granted there are a few current cars that don’t rely on the UK’s Formula One industry, but how would Bernie’s wealth-creation machine cope if every race was like the USGP in the year that the Michelin tyre runners withdrew?